There was one name on everybody's lips in Gosford on Tuesday morning, whether they were a truck driver travelling the Central Coast highway, a BBC journalist or an octogenarian at the local leagues club. Central Coast Stadium was in lockdown when Usain Bolt bowled in for the first time. Few arrivals have excited the town's population of 170,000 as much. No A-League training session has created such fuss. Tuesday's guest list was restricted to about 100 members of the media. Club staff were the only others allowed to watch the Bolt show (a brief warm-up, stretches, a passing drill then some planks). Within 90 minutes, it was over. The fastest man in the world was one of the last players to leave the pitch, sharing laughs with teammates then lighting up a 20-minute media conference with trademark panache. "At the start, definitely," Bolt quipped in the bowels of the Central Coast Leagues Club when asked if he'll be in bed by 10pm every night. "I'm not going to lie. "I do want to enjoy the city and life but I'm still going to remember I'm a professional footballer. I have to respect the rules ... there's a lot of fines. The captain is really strict on that." There wasn't enough evidence to judge whether Bolt's audacious bid will be successful. That discussion will evolve during a trial that could last 12 months, according to coach Mike Mulvey. Everybody at the club says Bolt is serious and that's hard to argue with at this stage. The A-League has previously attracted big names; Italian maestro Alessandro Del Piero's arrival was greeted with appropriate fanfare. But nothing comparable to the global attention created by Bolt, a household name around the world thanks to some eight Olympic gold medals, a 100m world record and the style in which he's done it all. Tuesday's bowling club backdrop wasn't exactly befitting of one of the world's greatest athletes. The scene was undoubtedly a touch absurd. Especially for Bolt's potential teammates, who are more accustomed to seeing a man and his dog watch them sweat during the pre-season. Some passing motorists offered words of encouragement. Cries of "YIEW USAIN!" and similar could be heard by the birthday boy. Bolt's passes and attire were analysed during live crosses, with all the gravitas of a discussion about power plays in Canberra. Camera shutters clicked like machine gun fire. The empty stands were in sharp contrast with the heaving masses Bolt entertained at athletics meets but that will likely change during a trial game on August 31, likely to be locals' first chance to watch the man of the moment. Australian Associated Press

Big-time Bolt rolls into Central Coast

Few arrivals have excited Gosford locals as much as Central Coast recruit Usain Bolt.

There was one name on everybody's lips in Gosford on Tuesday morning, whether they were a truck driver travelling the Central Coast highway, a BBC journalist or an octogenarian at the local leagues club.

Central Coast Stadium was in lockdown when Usain Bolt bowled in for the first time.

Few arrivals have excited the town's population of 170,000 as much. No A-League training session has created such fuss.

Tuesday's guest list was restricted to about 100 members of the media. Club staff were the only others allowed to watch the Bolt show (a brief warm-up, stretches, a passing drill then some planks).

Within 90 minutes, it was over. The fastest man in the world was one of the last players to leave the pitch, sharing laughs with teammates then lighting up a 20-minute media conference with trademark panache.

"At the start, definitely," Bolt quipped in the bowels of the Central Coast Leagues Club when asked if he'll be in bed by 10pm every night.

"I'm not going to lie.

"I do want to enjoy the city and life but I'm still going to remember I'm a professional footballer. I have to respect the rules ... there's a lot of fines. The captain is really strict on that."

There wasn't enough evidence to judge whether Bolt's audacious bid will be successful. That discussion will evolve during a trial that could last 12 months, according to coach Mike Mulvey.

Everybody at the club says Bolt is serious and that's hard to argue with at this stage.

But nothing comparable to the global attention created by Bolt, a household name around the world thanks to some eight Olympic gold medals, a 100m world record and the style in which he's done it all.

Tuesday's bowling club backdrop wasn't exactly befitting of one of the world's greatest athletes.

The scene was undoubtedly a touch absurd. Especially for Bolt's potential teammates, who are more accustomed to seeing a man and his dog watch them sweat during the pre-season.

Some passing motorists offered words of encouragement. Cries of "YIEW USAIN!" and similar could be heard by the birthday boy.

Bolt's passes and attire were analysed during live crosses, with all the gravitas of a discussion about power plays in Canberra. Camera shutters clicked like machine gun fire.

The empty stands were in sharp contrast with the heaving masses Bolt entertained at athletics meets but that will likely change during a trial game on August 31, likely to be locals' first chance to watch the man of the moment.